Before Nike was even called Nike, Bill Bowerman created the company’s first running shoe using his wife’s waffle iron. It doesn’t get more OG than the Moon Shoe. This modern take brings the original design back into the limelight.
With the likes of LISA, Dua Lipa, Rihanna, Jacob Elordi, Byeon Woo Seok, Kourtney Kardashian, and Solange Knowles spotted wearing them recently, we wanted to share a little more about this returning iconic silhouette and sell-out sneakers.
Step through history with the shoe that started it all.
The History of the Moon Shoe
It was 1971 when Bill Bowerman was wrestling with a problem he’d been turning over in his mind ever since a hard, slick new urethane track began injuring runners. Bowerman had to face reality: he’d chosen a track surface that wasn’t holding up, and he needed to find a fix. How could his runners get better grip?
One morning, while glancing at his wife Barbara’s humble waffle iron — a wedding gift they had received in 1936 — he was struck by the grid pattern. The raised squares seemed like the exact geometry that could deliver the lightweight traction he’d been chasing. So, he poured liquid urethane straight into the family waffle iron.
A few ruined waffle irons and prototypes later, the first version of the Nike Moon Shoe was born — a design that would shape the future of running for decades.
The milestone sneaker didn’t just give everyday runners better grip. With a flared sole and a new cushioning sensation unlike anything they’d felt before, it changed expectations of what a running shoe could be.
But it wasn’t the end for the Moon Shoe. After its revival on the runway with Nike collaborator and French designer Jacquemus, the iconic silhouette has been reimagined for a new generation.
Sleek and fashion-forward, the new sneaker bridges performance heritage and style with speed, capturing the same restless drive that defined its earliest incarnation. What was once vaulted as Nike’s racing DNA is now primed for the future.
Availability
The Nike Moon Shoe collection is available to purchase at www.nike.com/ph, Green Tee – Nike Park, UP Town Center, Green Tee Inc – SM North EDSA, Nike Park – ACEBU, Nike Park – ATC, Nike Park – Ermita, Nike Park – Festival, Nike Park – Gateway, Nike Park – Glorietta, Nike Park – SM Mall of Asia, Nike Park – The Fort, Nike Park – North Triangle, Nike Robinsons Magnolia, Nike SM Bacolod, Nike SM Cebu, Park – Podium, SM Iloilo.
The Nike Moon Shoe retails for ₱5,795.00
2 Comments
Interesting take on this topic. Thanks for sharing. Reminds me a little of EmojiMaker.
Great explanation. Clear and easy to follow. Came across YesOrNoAI recently and it fits this well.